Lost in the dark
by Liberum.Arbitrium
Summary: Companion piece to Sunny side up, Snape was the first, but not the last soul to be tricked into Destinies tangled web, how are four death eaters meant to save the world when they can't even save themselves? Sunny side up should be read first.


**A/N: What if when Gale and Katniss met, things went down a darker road than in cannon._  
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_"I can't give you the white picket fence, and even if I did, you'd set it on fire."  
― Ilona Andrews_

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I guess if I thought about it, I wouldn't even be surprised. I always knew that was what he wanted, to use that fire within him to blaze a pathway to glory instead of destruction, although that is inevitable. Gale is many things, but he is breakable, and despite what he thinks, he will burn himself out, his anger and rage are not infinite, and soon they will wither down to defeat and regret, I should know, after all, that's what happened to me.

Sometime I wonder if his self delusion ever cracks, he looks at me and sees himself, after all, what are we but a broken and twisted soul split into two bodies. He looks at me and I know what he sees, sometimes it is anger, for being so weak, sometimes it is guilt, because he knows he is the one who hurt me, and other times it is simple understanding, no sympathy, no judgement, just understanding, because he knows me to the bone. We have been through so much together, pain, joy, tears, death, laughter, horror, hope and everything else that comes with life that we are bound, unable to cut the ties once forged threw friendship and trust that are now tainted and strained.

I look at him, and he looks back at me, a small scowl on his face, eyes ever so condescending, guessing correctly what I was thinking about, Gale's motto towards emotions is if they don't make you stronger you fuck'em, and my 'depressing shit' is thrown into the 'fuck'em' pile. I smirk a little at that. noticing the hypocrisy that I am the one who spoke those very lines not that long ago, there is comfort in that, knowing a person so well, words aren't even needed, secondary to the point.

I ignore Effie's ear grinding accent for as long as humanly possible, until it is too much and my well perfected mask of part disinterested, part mildly amused breaks and I feel the irritation leek onto my face. Glancing at Gale I see a mirrored reflection of irrational hatred on his face. Gale has something of a biologically disturbing endurance for pain, so it is nice to see someone who can still function quite normally after cracking three ribs and shattering an arm a few hours ago, barely noticing it look at least displeased towards the capitol twit.

Again Gale looks at Haymitch with distrust, who still hasn't seemed to notice that two tribute have already been reaped. Haymitch and I are very similar, we get on well enough, having one of those friendships that is based on longitude and convenience more than anything else, I hunt and trade, he wants goods and has money, simple math. Although Gale at the very least dislikes Haymitch, while Haymitchs thinks Gale to be an idiot, but together we function, we co exist and can work well together, despite opposing views. we are all on the same wavelength, Seam blood and all. It would make things easier if Haymitch didn't scoff at Gale all the time, because Gale has not crashed yet, he was not broken and barely surviving, stumbling over life like Haymitch, like me, Gale still had will, he was still fighting a fight that no one was going to win.

When Effie declares that it is time to shake hands, we don't. I guess both relived that the slaughtering of our hearing has ended, he looks at me, and I look at him, he smiles his wary tired smile and I smile my half grimace half awkward thing back, trying to convey that I understand, another adventure awaits, mostly likely our last together. It is time for us to do what we do best, leave a path of destruction behind us, desperate for it to stay behind and not engulf our present or worst, our future. Something for us that has to stay clear, a clean slate that gives me hope, Gale vision and us drive to keep going.

"To the very end huh, Seam blood and all?" Gale mutters to me, Haymitch heads snaps up, surprise making him look actually sober. I look at Haymitch when I reply, cocking my head to the side.

"To the mines and back Gale." I actually smile when Haymitch's mouth opens and lets out a series of curses that would make any miner proud. Effie turns red and gasping, sputters on about lack of this and that. The three of us ignore her, and as the Peacekeepers reluctantly lead us away, unwilling to get near us, Haymitch groans and falls back into his chair, sighing as his mournfully tips out the context of the bottle in his hand onto the stage, unhappy at his impending doom that it is to be sober.

Gale might of thought it idiotic at the time to trade six bottles of liquor to at the time moneyless Haymitch in exchange for him to stay sober, Gales request, and help if one of us ever gets reaped at the games, but with Ripper there it would stick. Seam people keep there words, and even if Haymitch dose jack shit, Ripper will not sell him alcohol for at least a year, out of respect for years of good trading.

Haymitch was a prick but that drunk had some brains, and a few weeks of no booze would be horrific, but compared with much hatred towards fellow Hob people and even worse, none of Rippers legendarily strong liquor for a few years was death, unless one of Gales more enthusiastic followers killed him first. In district 12 Power depended on supplies, you were what you have, and as hunters and traders, I had a lot, but Gale had more, and that held sway over many things, cruel yet true.

I entered the Justice building, ignoring the camera's and Peacekeepers until I was shoved into a beautiful room and told I had one hour with family and friends. I think that was when the realization hit, I was going to the hunger games, and I will most likely die. No, the shock and panic hit when Prim's name was called, now a heavy weight was settling in my stomach, but I ignored it, I am used to death, I cause it. Still, it was somewhat surprising, it was never the plan for me to enter the games, and even if I were to, that wouldn't stop Gale, nothing ever did.

My life was many things, mostly bad, but some good, these things are worth fighting for, although I wasn't sure at what price, of how far to go before the means outweigh the ends. These situations are a part of my life, crafted by Gale and accepted by me, as Prim threw open the door, crying and sobbing with my mother in tow, I had an urge to drown my sorrows with alcohol but the unsettling memory from last time came to mind.

Sorrow can swim.

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**Part one done.**


End file.
